Video: Obama finally comments on pirates

Well, not comments per se, but explains his views on the issue and role in Sunday’s heroic rescue of Captain Phillips. This was a test less of his presidency but more of how he handles situations publicly. Apparently the order to authorize shooting at the pirates was non-existent, only to use “appropriate force”. Seems the decision to open fire on the vessel came when it appeared that Captain Phillips’ life was in imminent danger as pirates pointed their AK-47s at him.

More than 250 hostages of many nationalities are still being held along the Somali coast by pirates who have seized dozens of vessels, from tankers to yachts, in recent months.

Helicopters once again flew over pirate bases near Eyl on the Somali coast overnight after Phillips’ rescue.

“They killed our friends on the lifeboat and we thought helicopters would bomb us in Eyl last night,” a pirate in Eyl, who called himself Farah, told Reuters.

“We were mourning for dead friends and then roaring planes came — grief upon grief. America has become our new enemy.”

Al Shabaab, which condemns both piracy and anti-piracy patrols by international navies off Somalia, said the attack on Payne’s plane was a message to the United States but did not directly link it to the hostage issue.

Exit question: How will Obama handle this seemingly ongoing issue? He’s more the unicorn-utopia type, I can’t think he’s pleased that he has “made enemies” with Somalis despite the stunningly successful rescue.